Six new NFL rules for the 2021 season

With each new season, the powerful American football league NFL changes its rules for different needs. They can relate to the show on the field so that the game is faster or more spectacular, they can also concern the safety of the actors or still, other much more global specifications as can be it this season, the new rule concerning the numbers jersey to which we will come back.

These rules are, with each proposal, submitted to the owners of the franchises. These must validate at 75%, or at least 24 deductibles for a new rule to become effective. Overall, these proposals come from elsewhere, directly from franchises and not from the very organization of the NFL.

For the 2021 season, they are six in number. The opportunity is there to present them and to explain the changes incurred for the teams.

No more extension in the pre-season

With three pre-season matches established so that the teams can decide on their preparation and logically, continue their progress before theopening week, organizations are put to the test very early on in meetings that are not at all friendly. In fact, impossible in this sport.

In the event of a tie at the end of the hour of play, the NFL therefore decided to abandon extra time incurred where applicable. Of course, no change to this rule in the regular season and playoffs : a team must win!

Changing the layout of players during a kick-off

It’s a fine rule that even the most passionate NFL amateurs don’t always know. Each team must, during a kick-off or a throw-in (after a team has scored points, therefore), position itself in a certain way.

Regarding the team receiving the ball, it will now have to place two players beyond its own 40-yard line.

Most of the time, balloon receivers from the special team are placed much further but this new rule aims to limit the number of defensive players when a team attempts a onside kick at the very end of the game, when she has to give everything to pick up the score and try everything for everything.

Photo by mohamed_hassan, CC0

Caption: The NFL changes its rules every season

The video takes on more weight

From now on, the arbitrators will be able to use video in specific cases, without the teams consuming a challenge as was the case until last season. These possibilities concern the following cases:

• Ball possession
• Pass completed or not
• Hit a dead ball or a specific line
• Check a contact
• Identify an offside crossing

In step with the times and in line with what we see in other major sports on the planet, the video takes more and more place to accompany the referees on the edge of the field and theoretically, to allow them a much fairer decision-making when there is subject to discussion. A technology that would undoubtedly have avoided some excessive behavior in Tim Rossovich in his time. Excellent linebacker in the 1970s, this player, known to be one of the sportsmen the most eccentric logically, didn’t have the chance to experience video assist when he was still an NFL player.

Penalty in case of fault on conversion

In the event of a foul on a two-point attempt or a kick (PAT), the article concerning this rule has added a possibility. If the team having suffered the foul decides to retry its kick or its conversion to two points, it can now at the place of the whistled foul.

A heavier penalty for a forward pass

You should not ignore it: only one forward pass is allowed per phase of play in American football. If this rule was broken, the team suffered five penalty yards on the ground. Always with this loss of yards, it will be in addition, from now on deprived of an attempt (down).

New numbers

In NFL, every position has a range of assigned numbers. This rule makes it easier for referees to understand whether or not a player is eligible to receive a pass. The owners have this season voted to widen these ranges. For example, a defensive back can now choose to wear a number from 1 to 49.

This proposal, originally launched by the Kansas City Chiefs, shouldn’t turn life around from legend Tom Brady, although the latter has recently stated his disappointment at the formalization of this new rule.